Libel lawsuit against Toronto Mayor Rob Ford dismissed by court

Toronto
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A $6 million defamation lawsuit against Toronto Mayor Rob Ford by Boardwalk Pub owner George Foulidis has been dismissed by Justice John Macdonald on Thursday. Ford said in a statement he welcomed the decision.

Foulidis alleged that Ford defamed the restaurant during the 2010 mayoral campaign. In an interview with the Toronto Sun, the then-city councillor criticized the deal to extend Foulidis’s Boardwalk Pub lease to sell food, while also complaining about corruption down at city hall.

In a decision made late Thursday afternoon, the lawsuit was thrown out by the courts.

“I welcome today's decision by the court to dismiss the Foulidis lawsuit against me," Ford said in a brief statement released moments after the decision was made. "I will continue fighting to represent the best interest of Toronto taxpayers at city hall."

The mayor now faces an appeal of the conflict-of-interest ruling on Jan. 7.